Complete sequence analysis of human norovirus GII.17 detected in South Korea

Abstract

Norovirus, a major cause of gastroenteritis in people of all ages worldwide, was first reported in South Korea in 1999. The most common causal agents of pediatric acute gastroenteritis are norovirus and rotavirus. While vaccination has reduced the pediatric rotavirus infection rate, norovirus vaccines have not been developed. Therefore, prediction and prevention of norovirus are very important. Norovirus is divided into genogroups GI–GVII, with GII.4 being the most prevalent. However, in 2012–2013, GII.17 showed a higher incidence than GII.4 and a novel variant, GII.P17-GII.17, appeared. In this study, 204 stool samples collected in 2013–2014 were screened by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; 11 GI (5.39%) and 45 GII (22.06%) noroviruses were identified. GI.4, GI.5, GII.4, GII.6 and GII.17 were detected. The whole genomes of the three norovirus GII.17 were sequenced. The whole genome of GII.17 consists of three open reading frames of 5109, 1623 and 780 bp. Compared with 20 GII.17 strains isolated in other countries, we observed numerous changes in the protruding P2 domain of VP1 in the Korean GII.17 viruses. Our study provided genome information that might aid in epidemic prevention, epidemiology studies and vaccine development.

Viral metagenomics reveals diverse viruses in the fecal samples of children with diarrhea

“…In addition, one strains (Norozj-9) isolated in this study belonged to GII.17. The GII.17 genotype was rarely detected in human populations globally in the past, but a new GII.17 variant associate with sporadic acute gastroenteritis cases was frequently detected in China and some south-eastern Asian countries in late 2014 ( Pan et al., 2016 ; Zhang et al., 2016 ; Kim et al., 2019 ; Motoya et al., 2019 ; Chen et al., 2020 ). Here, few sequence reads of GII.17 in library 9 indicated that it was not the predominant genotype in causing acute gastroenteritis outbreaks but accounted for sporadic diarrhea cases in Jiangsu of China.…”

“…SaV infections are responsible for both sporadic cases and occasional outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis. The prevalence rate for SaV was 6.5% in low and middle income countries ( Kim et al., 2019 ). SaV GI was the dominant genogroup globally.…”